Clutter Cutters & The Paper Academy

As we approach January, I want to throw out a challenge for you all: let's take a moment to sort through our holiday decorations before putting them away!

We all have those items that didn't make it out this year. So why not consider donating anything that isn't sentimental? If it didn't make the cut this year, chances are it won't next year either.

Here are a few options to help you with the task:

🎄 Look at what's left in the boxes and donate what you didn't put out. By donating decorations you don't use, you'll make space for the things you truly love and that warm your heart.

🎄 If your boxes contain lots of sentimental items that you don't display, think about passing them along to another family member who would love to showcase them. Share the joy!

🎄 If letting go is a struggle, try putting all the items you didn't display in a marked box (e.g., "Did not display in 2023"). When you open it next year, you can decide whether to display them or finally bid them farewell.

Remember, the goal here is to surround ourselves only with the things that truly mean something to us. The ones that make us feel warm, special, and bring back beautiful memories. Let go of the items that don't evoke those emotions – most of it is just stuff! Simplify and create space in your home for a beautiful feeling.

As a kid, I used to struggle with moving furniture on different types of flooring. But ever since I discovered Furniture Slides, it has become a breeze!

I'm a visual person and love arranging my furniture to perfection. With Furniture Slides, I can easily see how different pieces look in various locations. No more lifting heavy furniture for me!

Instead of the tedious cycle of moving furniture and searching for slides, I simply place the slides under multiple pieces and effortlessly rearrange to my heart's content. It saves me time, effort, and avoids unnecessary back and forth!

Whether you have hard surfaces or carpeted areas, there are Furniture Slides available for your needs. Just make sure to sweep or swiffer your floors before moving to avoid scratches.

I even have some sets permanently placed under extremely heavy furniture like our entertainment center. It helps me easily access cords and electronics whenever they get tangled.

And of course, during the holiday season, Furniture Slides come in handy when making room for our Christmas tree. It's a lifesaver when something has to move!

You can find a wide selection of Furniture Slides on Amazon or at local discount hardware stores. Believe me, they're worth every penny! So next time you need to move a piece of furniture, grab a set of Furniture Slides and experience the convenience yourself. Happy arranging!

If you’re looking for a simple yet versatile solution for your holiday decorations, look no further than 3M hooks and picture hangers! These are a game-changer for hanging Christmas lights, wreaths, stockings, signs, and more!

They are super useful beyond the holiday season too – they can be used for cord containment, coat hooks, backpack holders, anything you can think of really!

The best part is that you can get sticky refill parts for the hooks, so that you can reuse them time and again. Plus, they come in both decorative and functional styles, offering you endless possibilities!

Do you use 3M hooks and picture hangers? If so, I would love to hear your ideas for how you’ve used these hooks in creative ways!

I am a HUGE fan of 3M hooks and furniture slides! It is amazing to be able to hang stuff just about anywhere and arrange the furniture throughout my house without any help!

If you have not been introduced to these two items, you are in for a treat. But if you know and have forgotten about their great qualities, maybe you will pick up a new trick or two.

Visit ClutterCuttersWA.com/Blog to read the full blog post to discover the versatility of these amazing decorating & organizing tools!

One way I love to save time and stress during the holiday season is to premake holiday cookies and freeze them.

This not only makes it easier to gift holiday cookies to friends and family, but it also is great for when guests stop by during the holiday season!

That way, you can invite your guests in and pull out a few cookies to sit down and enjoy with a cup of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate!

Baking holiday cookies for your friends and family this year? Here’s a cost saving tip for you!

I like to go to the dollar store and buy the cute little Christmas platters, then cover them with Saran Wrap once they’ve been filled with cookies. From there, I write the person/family’s name on a holiday card and attach it to the platter.

Bonus cost saving tip: If you go to the stores after the holidays are over, you can buy the platters, boxes, or tins on clearance and save them for next year!

Home Organizing Tip!

Baking season is here, which means now is a great time to check out and edit the spice & baking cabinets!

Here are a few things you can do:
- Take stock of your spices & baking ingredients.
- Check expiration dates and discard any expired items.
- Label each container and group similar spices together for easy access.
- Don’t forget to clean and wipe down the cabinets before putting everything back!

Happy Baking!

My family loves to bake holiday cookies and deliver them to our family and friends. We invest the time, energy, and love into making them, rather than purchasing a gift to give.

While it’s fun to bake, it can still feel just as overwhelming and stressful to make so many personalized gifts as it can to purchase gifts.

That’s why I started doing a couple of different things to streamline the process, bring more freedom to the timeframe, and make a tremendous difference in my stress level.

Read the full blog post – Baking Season is Here: Tips for Stress-Free Holiday Baking & Gift Giving – at ClutterCuttersWA.com/Blog to learn more!

Don’t let the holiday party frenzy overwhelm you!

Keep track of all the upcoming events, get-togethers, and parties with these simple tips:

1 - Add party details to your calendar
2 - Snap a quick picture of the party info or use a chip clip to organize the papers on your fridge
3 - When someone asks about a specific event, you can easily reference your picture or the paper for all the important details.

No more confusion, no more stress!

Getting organized and staying organized isn’t easy, but you don’t have to do it alone!

That’s why I offer my Support and Accountability Group Class, a safe and non-judgmental group where you can set aside one hour each week to work on your paper organizing goals and share your progress!

This small group setting gives you the opportunity to work on your paper tasks each week while having a professional there to guide and encourage you with suggestions, tips, and recommendations.

Because the best way to get organized and stay organized is by having support and accountability from others.

Visit ClutterCuttersWA.com/support-accountability-group-class/ to learn more!

With winter on its way, getting prepared for storing the heavier coats, scarves, hats, and gloves now helps avoid the clutter that they could create later.

Here are a couple of options for storing these items:

1. Create and label a bin with each person’s name, then all their items can live in that bin when they are not wet.

2. I use an over-the-door shoe organizer for all smaller cool weather gear. The clear pockets let you see what is in them so you can easily grab what you need in a hurry.

Visit ClutterCuttersWA.com/Blog to read the full blog post and learn why the over-the-door shoe organizer is one of my favorite and most versatile organizing supply items of all time!

Looking to upgrade your bathroom experience?

Here’s a great trick: Add a reading basket to your bathrooms to keep those magazines off the floor!

While you’re at it, now is a great time to edit out all those spring and summer magazines and make room for the holiday editions and catalogs!